Needle-controlling mechanism for knitting machines



Aug. 27, i R'. BAssls'r msm-communs lmfumrnky Fon Immune canins med April 2a, 1945. 2 Shawna-sheet 1 Patented Aug. 27, 1946 UNlTEo STAT NEEDLE-GONTROLLING MEGHANISM Fon KNIT-TING MAoHrNEs:

nadoen Bassist, New. n Application April'zs, 1945, serial Np. seattle present invention.relatesgnerally to; knit-1. ting machin sand; has particu-.lar reference t imgrovedneedle-Controllingmee anism..

While Het, necessarily restricted. all. its phases to enr particular time of knitting.- meehine. mr

aventionis primarily intended for and applicable t0,.- the kind ,0f knitting; meehine which employe e needle of thel soecalled spring beard type. A dee-.die or this kind comprises'. a shank and e. .edfbaek heard. there. being. a yieldebly reellel ierit. articulation between the beard and ehenli whereby. the. beard ie constantly-urged inte en- Oreil rarmreeeivine position.. spaced. from the shank?. Dunne e. predetermined 'phase of. .the

1m' ne.. @veley via... whedit is.; desired te entran the ram theereek. 0f. the. needle. and guide it lamellen. nrevouslyedempleted 10.01? Of the. knitted tehrid ase-'called presser barfer equiva. lent meehanieal element. ie; eareedtd bearlupen the .heard and. prees it, inte. ednteetwit 'the' sheet. this presente beine maintained' until the beeid' d11d Shank are safely. through therme: viously-knitted loop. l Upon subsequent Withdrawal of the presser bar'or-the likeythebeard tje-assumes its normal open dispositionvwith re-l spoot t the shank. j Y l The dse ef; a preSeer-ber'of the. generality@ mentioned. and the operation deeerileed. Wv 1.-; known in the knitting machine art.`

It is a general object ofmy present inventionto 'y provide an improved mechanism wherebythe need for a presser-bar may be dispensed With,l This, achievesthe desir-able advantage ofy simplifying the knitting machine structure,V andr eliminating several movable elements, via, the presser bar andV its associated actuating mechanisme.. Such a simi plification is of particularfvaluein machines iti-' A tended to operate at relatively highY speedssiner every movable part ofi aknitting-.machine entails problems of accurate mounting and assemblyf Wearand tear, lubrication, Weight,r vibration, and.

the like; and these problems become-Q1@v7 special andY unusual magnitude where high-speed move# y ments, lespecially. oscillatory movements'` such asthose ofapresser bar, areinvolved. n' 4 'l f I' achieve.v the principal object of my invention? by means-y of a design and association: of parts wherebyan electro-magnetic` means may be suo-r cessfull-y resorted to to. perform they functions heretofore served by a presser bar or other me. chanical device of the character; described.4 Not only does such an improvementv involve substan tial'ly no movable parts, but it lends itself readily! to the.. higher speed -machines and operations which are: currently VcomingJ- into. greater use. y

Briefly stated, the` preferred practice of my invention involves the provision of a needle in whichk a turned-back beard of magnetically-re-A sponsive character is mounted on a needle shank Which is substantially immune to magnetic forces,r

and the mounting of at least one electro-magnet i in a position in which the beard is subjected toits magnetic force. By energizing and de-energizing the magnet inV predetermined timed relation to the knittingA operation, movements of the needle beard can be correspondingly effected. i ,Y

' So far as the broader phases ofthe presentinvention are1 concerned, it makes' no difference whether the needle as a whole is reciprocated t as iin-.Warp knitting machines, for-example, among others)., or Whether it remains. stationary during the knitting operation (as in circularknittinglmachinos, for example). But Whatever the nature or mode of: operation of the knitting machine may be, it will embody, of course, a mechanism adapted to perform a knitting. operation uponvya'rn supplied toit,1fa main drive shaft'actuating. this mechanism, and a magnetically-controlled needle beard of 'tlef character referred to, the electromagnetic. mearsfbeing operated in timed relation to the 'knittingv-.operationg and preferably byv a means actuated by the main drive shaft of the machine. For.- example., I contemplate that the electro-magnet or magnets will be controlled by an electric circuit, and that al suitable switch means may. be actuated bythe main drive shaft (fori subordinate'mechanisr'n driven by the shaft) tomake and break the electric' circuit in the de'- sired. timed relation tothe knitting operation. Or` course, there will be as many electro-'mage nets as maybe needed to control the needlesinvolV-ed. Thus, ina Warp'knittingmachine, for' example, or in any -machine' vvl'ierea largey multi; plicity off needles are simultaneously operated duringlth knitting proceduraa plurality o f` electro-magnets will be arranged side by 'side-alon'g-'a suitable' support extending; lengthwise of the. machine, i-fjgparalijei tothe bank of needles. on

the 'other hand-'in acircuiaf knitting vmai-,nine or Y the like,` wheronly vone or at inosta small group of needles is operative at any'instantolf time, one

electro-magnet may be' 'su'cientf 1t Will b e understood,"'al`so, that a single electro-magnet may be operatively associated with a group of adjacent needles, and that-the invention does not necessarily contemplate that there shall be a separate electro-magnet in association with each needle'. v' f Y In a .relativelysi'mple andpreferred `embodiment of myinventiom the beard'. of the-needle is resiliently articulated to the shank, as in the ordinary spring-beard needle, and the beard normally assumes an open position spaced from the shank. The electro-magnetic means, in such a case, is positioned to exert its force upon the needle beard at predetermined time intervals to move it into a closed position against the shank, the resilient articulation being relied upon to return the beard to its openv position after the magnetic force has ceased to act. Or, conversely, a needle may be employed in which the inherent resilience presses the beard normally against the shank, and in such a case the electro-magnetic means may be positioned and arranged to exert its force so as to open the crook of the needle atA predetermined times. sult can be achieved by a third alternative design in which the beard is resiliently urged into a normal position intermediate between the fully-open and the fully-closed positions, and in which a pair of electro-magnets are arranged to exert their forces from opposite sides of the needle at predetermined successive time intervals, one magnet serving to move the beard into its fully` closed position, the other magnet serving to move it into its fully open position.

I achieve the foregoing general objects and advantages, and such other objects and advantages Aas may hereinafter appear or be pointed out, in the manner illustratively exemplified in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figures 1-5 are diagrammatic views showing successive stages in a typical knitting operation, and showing an illustrative installation of an improved mechanism of the present character;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the knitting instrumentalities in the relationship they assume in an actual machine, an illustrative electric circuit being shown diagrammatically;

tion through a knitting needle of the present char-- Figures 8 and 9 are views similar to Figures 1-5, illustrating a modification ofthe invention; and

Figure 10 is a similar view illustrating a further modication. i

Merely by way of example, I have chosen to illustrate the present invention as it may be applied to a so-called warp knitting machine. Some of the parts of such a machine are shown in operative relationship in Figure 6. In this figure I have shown a multiplicity of knitting needles 20 extending upwardly from Aa needle bar 2|. During the operation of the machine, which is well-known per se, the needle bar 2| is caused to reciprocate in an up-and-down direction by an actuating mechanism driven from a main drive shaft. The shaft 22 may be considered to be a drive shaft of kthis character, or a subordinate shaft driven thereby. f y

At 23 I have indicated a sinker bar which carries, in well-known fashion, a series of flat sinker elements 24 arranged in parallel spaced relation-- ship and extending through the spaces between the needles 20. During the operation of the knitting machine, the sinker bar 23 is caused toreciprocate in a forward-and-back direction, in timed relation to the needle reciprocation. The bar 23 is suitably actuated in the desired timed relationship by the main drive shaft, such as the shaft 22.

I have also shown an illustrative guide bar 25 which carries a plurality of depending apertured elements 26. In a warp knitting machine, these An unusually e'lcient reare the elements which feed the yarn to the needles. During the operation of the machine, the guide bar 25 has a primary reciprocating movement in a generally forward-and-back direction, each of the elements 26 passing through one of the spaces between the needles 20. The guide bar 25 also reciprocates, in accordance with a predetermined plan, in a longitudinal direction so as to effect thedesiredl formation of'yarn loops around predetermined needles. The guide bar 25 is actuated by mechanism which is driven by the main drive shaft.

None of the actuating mechanism has been illustrated in the present drawings since it is generally well-known per se, and since it has no direct bearing upon the present improvement. However, it ,will be understood that the various parts are driven in such predetermined timed relationship that a series of knitting operations are successivelyperformed. An illustrative cycle is best shown in Figures Y1-5. In each of these figures, I have shownv one of the needles 20 and one of the guide bar Yelements 26; andI have indicated in dot-and-dash lines the general dis-v position of the sinker elements 24. In Figure 1, the needle 20 has its turned-back beard 21V in an open yarn-receiving disposition with respect to the shank of the needle, and the guide bar element 26 has just completed a movement which has engaged the yarn strand 28 within the crookr of the needle. The needle is in a raised position. The needle now starts to descend for the purpose `of pulling the strand 28 through the previously-knitted loop 29. During this descending movement-,as indicated in Figure 2.,.the needle beard 2'! moves into its closed disposition with respect to the needle shank, thus entrapping the yarn 28 within the crook of the needle, and permitting the needle to pass completely through the loop 29; During this procedure, the sinker 24 moves towardV the left, as a comparison of Figuresl and 2 will indicate.` i

After the free end of the beard 21 has safely passed through the loop 29, it is no longer necessary that it remain in its closedeposition, and the continuing descent of the needle is indicated in Figures 3 and 4, showing how the yarn 28 is pulled through the loop 29 in order to form a new loop 30. v

In Figure 4 the needle is in its lowest position, and in Figure 5 the needle has risen to its highest position. In the meantime, the sinker 24 has moved into the position shown in Figure 5, to hold rthe newly-formed loop 30 down while the needle 20 moves upwardly. It will also be observed that the guide bar element 26 has swung into a position in readiness for forming a new loop of the yarn 28 in the crook of the raised needle. I

My present` invention is directed primarily to the opening and closing movements 0f the needle beard 21. In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1-5, this lis accomplished by mounting an electro-magnetic means 3l in a'pcsition which subjects the needle beard 21 to the electro-magnetic force at the time that the needle beard 21 is to be moved into its closed position. The needle illustrated is of the usual character in which there is a resilient articulation between the needle beard 21 and the needle shank. This articulation is in the vturned-back region l32, which is resiliently constructed so that the needle beard normally assumes the position shown in Figures 1, 3, 4 and 5, but may be urged into the position or' Egure..?ragainstathe action; ot its inherent resilienceim Y ".1 j

InFtgure- 1',..the.e electro-magneticmeans 3 t; is. inoperative. In Figure. 2;. the'd'otted lines.3l3 .are intended. to:` indicate that the electro-magnetic. mensisoperative and' is. producing an electrica. magnetic. eld; which exertsjits force upon the needle beard; 21:.. "Ifl'iemagnet31i isrnot: showniir Figures 3:-5., and; is, inoperative during the phases of operation 'shown inethese figures..

f A practicar embodiment: of the invention is. most clearly shown inv Figure 61 in which I have illustrativetyf shown the electromagnetic means in the form of a series of adjacent U-shaped magnets. Forthe` sake of convenience, I have designated these magnets by the reference numeral 3|. They are mounted side-by-side upon a supporting bar 34 which extends lengthwise of the machine. It will thus be observed that each magnet controls the operation of a series of adjacent needles 20, the bank of magnets conjointly producing, at desired predetermined times, a magnetic field which aiects an entire series of needles.

The magnets need not necessarily be U-shaped, as will be understood, and any magnet construction or design may be employed, provided it produces the desired electro-magnetic field in the desired region of the machine. For illustrative purposes, I have diagrammatically shown the type of electric circuit which may be employed for controlling the magnets. `vA suitable energizing coil is formed around each magnet. One end of the coil is connected as at 35 to the conductive portion 36 of a control wheel or switch 31. The other end of the coi] is connected, as at 38, to one terminal 39 of a suitable source of electric power. "A rheostat 40 is preferably arranged within the lead wire 38, for such adjustments in magnetic strength as may be desired from time to time.

The make-and-break or switch device 31 has been illustratively shown in the form of a wheel or disk mounted on the shaft 22. The conductive portion 36 is arranged on the periphery of 31 is suitably insulated. As a result, when the shaft 32 rotates, the electric circuit is periodical-y ly established and broken, in predetermined timed relation to the knitting operation, as the contact element 4l makes and breaks electric contact with the conductive portion 36.

The various coils on some or all of the magnets 3| may be interconnected in parallel as indicated by the connecting wires 43 and 44. For producing certain effects, a predetermined group of magnets may for example be energized and de-energized independently of another group or groups ofpmagnets; although all magnet-actuation is always eiected in a predetermined timed relation to the knitting operation itself.

Attention is now directed to Figure 7 in which y I have shown one of the needles on a greatly The line of demarkation 49 is intended to indicate, diagrammatically,`that the material of the beard uns dineren-from. a magnetieaiiy-respom The balance of the peripheral surface of the wheelk sive.I standmiint,I from the. materiali of.y theshankofitheaneedl This difference.; resides in theta-ct that. the-...needle beard 41 is; purposely constructed: in such a way that it is: readily' responsiveto. electro-magnetic force, while thez material oi the needle shan-kA is purposely.V made of a material which is relatively immune to. such. forcer. may be achieved .in various; Ways. For example, the shank ,may be.` composed of.r stainless steel 'or' equivalent allaoywhich is, relatixteiy .immune to. magnetism, while'. the breal'dlfl may be composed of.'i carbon; steel` or equivalent materialjwhich. is. relatively responsive: tomagnetism.; liliereA dife ferent materials are employed", the parts mayf be` separately manufactured, and then Welded together at the line or in the region 49, any convenient welding procedure being utilized for this purpose. In the alternative, the shank and needle beard/may be formed of a single element, and the beard 41 subsequently treated (for example, by chemical action or electroplating or the like), to impart a relatively magnetically-responsive quality to the beard.

In Figures 8 and 9 I have illustrated anv obvious alternative arrangement in which the electromagnetic means 50 is arranged on the opposite side of the needle 5l. In this case, the resilient articulation in the region 52 is of such a character that the beard 53 normally assumes the closed position shown in Figure 9, whereby the action of the electro-magnet 50 (indicated by the lines of magnetic force 54) serves to draw the beard 53 away from the shank and thus open the needle so that it may receive the yarn 55.

An unusuallyv eiiicient arrangement, constituting a third alternative, is 'shown in Figure 10 in 'which the needie 56 has a. beard 51 resiuenuy articulated thereto at 58 in such a manner that the beard normally assumes an intermediate position indicated in full lines. In this position, the beard kis neither in its fully-closed nor in its fully-open position, and a pair of electro-magnets 59 and 60 are arranged on opposite sides of the needle. The magnet 59 serves at predetermined time intervals to draw the beard 51 into the closed position represented by the dotted lines 6l; while the magnet 69 functions at other predetermined time intervals to draw the beard 51 into its fullyopen position represented by the dotted lines E2. This arrangement is desirable, despite the provision of a pair of magnets, because less electric power is needed to eect the desired movements of the needle beard. The magnets 59 and 60 are energized and deenergized at predetermined times by a pair of switch arrangements such as that shown in Figure 6, one switch arrangement controlling one of the magnets, the second switch arrangement controlling the other magnet, but both of them being operated in predetermined timed relation to the main drive shaft of the ma chine.

It will readily be understood that my invention is by no means restricted to a Warp knitting machine of the character shown, nor to the various details herein illustrated by way of example.

Thus, any type of make-and-break mechanism may be employed, other than that diagrammatically represented by the Wheel 31 of Figure 6.

For example, av photo-electric device may serve to make and break the circuit at the desired time intervals, or a relay may be interposed-between the source of power andthe actual make-andbreak mechanism.

, In general, it Will be understood that the details herein' described and illustrated. may obviously be modified by those skilled in the art in a number of respects, Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

' Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a knitting machine, aneedle comprising a shank and a turned-back beard, said beard being adapted to move toward and away from said rshank during the knitting operation, said beard being composed of a material readily responsive tofmagnetic force, an electro-magnet positioned to exert its force upon said beard and thereby 15 effect movements of the latter, and means for energizing and de-energizing said electro-magnet in timed relation to the knitting cycle.

2. In a knitting machine, a needle comprising a shank and a turned-back beard, said beard being adapted to move toward and away from said shank during the knitting operation, said shank being composed of a material which is vsubstantially non-responsivey to magnetic force, said beard being composed of a material Which is readily responsive 'to such force, andan electromagnet positioned to exert its force upon said beard and thereby effect movements of the latter.

RUDOLPH BAssIsT. 

